The common thread joining all these pieces is Martinu's homesickness, his love for his homeland and its folk traditions. The first version of 'Spalicek' ("a ballet of national games, customs and fairy tales") written in 1931-32 was closed with the "ballet cantata" 'The Spectre's Bride', based on the poem by Karel Jaromir Erben, the renowned Czech folk song collector. The Primrose, a set of vocal duets with piano and violin accompaniment, was written in 1954 on the texts of Moravian folk songs. Performance of these gems of the Martinu literature was undertaken by the experienced, accomplished conductors Jiri Belohlavek and Frantisek Jilek.